Monday, August 08, 2005

John Akouri Mourns the Passing of ABC News Anchorman and Friend, Peter Jennings

(NATIONAL)...Farmington Hills City Councilman John Akouri joins the millions of Americans who mourn the untimely death and loss of ABC World News Tonight Anchorman Peter Jennings. Akouri, a former Congressional Press Secretary in Washington, DC had always admired the veteran newsman, who in April courageously announced to his audience that he had lung cancer. Jennings, who was the Beirut, Lebanon bureau chief from 1968-1974 while establishing the first ever American television news bureau in the Arab world, died Sunday at his New York home.

Akouri had the privilege of meeting with Jennings in the Winter of 2002 during the taping of a WXYZ-TV Special entitled "Ask The Media" which Jennings hosted and was aired live locally in Detroit on February 5 on the ABC affiliate Channel 7. The show featured a media panel answering questions from studio guests of which Akouri was one of.

"It was an amazing opportunity for me to have the chance to meet with a man of Peter's global stature," said Akouri. "I found him to be truly and incredibly personable, attentive and charming. When he discovered I was of Lebanese descent, he began to speak with me in Arabic, greeting me with the traditional 'keefek' (how are you) and upon my departure saying 'shookrun, ma asalamy' (thank you, go in peace).

"I can remember that when I graduated from college and following my internship with FOX2 News, I was interviewed for a feature story by a local TV magazine about a community cable television program I was hosting," continued Akouri. "In that interview, when asked about my future goals I stated even then that I wanted to be the 'Peter Jennings of the future' inasmuch as all of the anchors I have watched throughout the years, Peter's on-air style was the one I always admired the most - and wanted to emulate."